Palladium Books® Weekly Update – Dec. 21, 2017

By Kevin Siembieda

One game system – every genre – countless worlds – endless adventure

Happy holidays to everyone! Christmas Day is Monday, Kwanzaa is Tuesday, and Hanukkah has already been going on, so only one news update and no sales pitch other than letting you know we are extending the Christmas Surprise Package offer for a few weeks AFTER Christmas. This extension has become part of the Grab Bag tradition as much as the Surprise Packages themselves. The rest of this Update contains fan comments from the many Surprise Package orders we receive. Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend.

Christmas Surprise Package Offer – EXTENDED to January 15, 2017

This is your last chance to snag a 2017 Surprise Package as a gift for a birthday, anniversary, Valentine’s Day, graduation, or as a treat for yourself. A Surprise Package is an inexpensive way to try new games, new settings, fill holes in your collection, get caught up on The Rifter, or replace battered old books. Whatever the reason, order soon, because this offer is almost over.

Why extend this amazing offer? Because it is the nice thing to do. We realize many of you are so full of the Christmas Spirit that you spend your money on gifts for your loved ones rather than yourself. This wonderful act of charity often leaves no money for you to buy a Palladium Surprise Package for yourself. We think that sacrifice is pretty wonderful and what the holiday season is all about, so we extend the offer so that you selfless souls can pick up a Surprise Package after the holidays. We know this happens, because a lot people over the years have thanked us for the extension for this very reason.

The extension is also for you Johnny Come-Latelies who are so caught up in the holiday frenzy, work and life that somehow you miss placing your order for the Christmas Surprise Package before the offer ends. It is also for those of you who wish you had ordered one (or another one) but forgot. Lastly, it is our way to carry that holiday good cheer into the New Year. So get your post-holiday Surprise Package and enjoy. Please note that this offer will not be extended further. This is your last chance. And please spread the word to let people know the offer is extended. Happy Holidays.

Click here to get all the details or to place a Surprise Package order.

UPDATE: The Rifter® #79 – Done and at the Printer

The Rifter® #79 was finished last week and is at the printer. Somehow we forgot to mention that in the last Weekly Update. Sheesh, that’s how busy we are. I approved the proofs this week. A truly great issue with all kinds of inspiring ideas, rules, settings and adventure ideas. I will let you know when we have an exact shipping date. Rifts® Sovietski is nearly finished, too. Enjoy the long holiday weekend.

Surprise Package comments from fans like you

Every year there is a section where the customer can offer comments and suggestions with his or her Surprise Package order. Every year, in acknowledgment of our fans, and because they are fun to read, we offer a sampling in the Weekly Updates. Our heartfelt thanks to all of you who have stuck with Palladium through thick and thin. Keep those imaginations burning bright, have a joyous holiday season and game on.

You have no idea how much your comments and support mean to all of us. Everyone at Palladium enjoys reading your brief comments. They always brighten our day. Thank you. I have tried to write a short response [in brackets] when applicable.

Click here to get all the details or to place a Surprise Package order.

J.A. in Lexington, Kentucky, writes: Been buying these [Surprise Packages] for the past few years now. Always happy with what I get. I like to put it under the tree and open it on Christmas morning.

[Wow, J.A., cool and humbling. Enjoy and have a very Merry Christmas. – Kevin]

K.M. in Lehi, Utah, writes (in part): Thanks for doing this. It’s fun to fill up more of my bookshelf and share a book or two with a friend as a surprise present ...

[Nice, K.M., sounds like you understand the holiday spirit. – Kevin]

D.T. in San Antonio, Texas, writes: Hope everyone at Palladium has a wonderful holiday season! You guys and gals truly do bring imagination to life.

[Thank you D.T., we sure try to bring imagination to life. Happy holidays to you too. – Kevin]

J.W. in Conroe, Texas, writes (in part): I am setting up a Savage Rifts® game, but using Palladium supplements to add surprises for the players.

[Clever, J.W. I hope the campaign goes great. – Kevin]

J.H. in Mena, Arizona, writes: I haven’t played actual Palladium Rifts® since college, so I don’t actually own any of the books anymore. I have been running Savage Rifts® for the past couple of months and my game group LOVES it. Thanks guys.

[You are welcome, J.H. That’s why we licensed to Pinnacle, we thought they had a good game system and we knew they’d do a great job, especially with Sean Patrick Fannon leading the project. Enjoy. – Kevin]

C.B. in Paxton, Nebraska, writes: Thank you for the many years of entertainment and letting my imagination run wild.

[What a nice compliment, C.B. For me, part of the joy of writing and creating these RPG books is to inflame the imaginations of others and set them running wild. Awesome. Game on and keep that imagination burning bright for years to come. – Kevin]

M.M. in Hederson, Nevada, writes: Palladium Books has the most creative and rich world settings out of any RPG system I have seen. Keep up the great work and don’t forget the good old Palladium Fantasy RPG® setting.

[Thank you for your kind words, M.M. Fear not, the Palladium Fantasy RPG setting is far from forgotten. I am sitting on three manuscripts right now, all pretty good material. As soon as I get out some other titles people have been waiting for, you should see several Fantasy titles coming your way in 2018. – Kevin]

E.A. in Burien, Washington, writes: I have played Rifts® since 1991. This is the best game system around! The myriad stories from my players never end. Thank you Palladium Staff for all that you give us fans.

[The pleasure is all ours, E.A. We love what we do and we’re thrilled to have fans, like you, who have been enjoying Rifts® for going on three decades. Awesome. Game on and happy holidays. – Kevin]

L.S. in Wasilla, Arkansas, writes: Still the best RPG Megaverse® I’ve had the pleasure of running and playing. Everything is interchangeable or adaptable, and it keeps getting better. Rifts® Lemuria and Triax 2 are awesome. Over 20 years and still going strong. Thank you for the imagination and work that has been put into the books.

[Wow, thank you, L.S. We appreciate the high praise. I agree with you, I think recent books are as good or better than ever, and we have some huge things planned for the future. Game on! – Kevin Siembieda]

J.M. in Scottsdale, Arizona, writes: Please bring back TMNT and the Mechanoids®!

[Hey J.M., the After the Bomb® RPG, one of Erick Wujcik’s last works, is the next best thing to TMNT & Other Strangeness. Zillions of cool mutants, plus Chimera mutant animals, and it can all be easily dropped into your Heroes Unlimited campaign to recreate TMNT fun and adventure. Oh, and The Rifter® #77 has the return of Doctor Feral (for HU2) and two new super-mutants. Check it out. I actually have ideas for The Mechanoids®, but no time soon. – Kevin]

Z.D.R. in Easley, South Carolina, writes: I have been playing Palladium’s games since I was 10 years old, and I just want to thank the team for all you’ve done to enrich my life over the past three decades.

[Thank you for the high praise, Z.D.R. It is our honor and privilege to create RPGs you have enjoyed for most of your life! Very humbling. Keep that imagination burning and happy holidays. – Kevin]

R.S. in Moody, Alabama, writes (in part): Hey guys, I will be running a Heroes Unlimited game with my 9 year old girl and 10 year old boy come the holidays ... I am looking forward to sharing my love of Palladium with them. They love superheroes so I am going to start there. I’ll get them hooked on an S.D.C. setting before I introduce them to the big mamma of RPGs, Rifts®.

[Hey, R.S. your request is not bizarre at all. I left it out from the above just in case the kids caught wind of it, and because I’m planning to release exactly what you talked about as a very special product; though I don’t know if I can get it done in time for X-Mas. Next year for sure. I might even release it after Christmas as the game can take place any time. FYI: I ran an epic scenario years ago for my own gaming group (all adults) and as a tournament at the Detroit Gaming Center and everyone loved it. Have fun. I’ll see if I can send you stats before X-Mas, but no promises. Great minds think alike, R.S. Good luck and game on. – Kevin]

B.B. in Fargo, North Dakota, writes (in part): The last bundle finished my Rifts® World Book collection, thank you so much! It left me so excited I wanted to fit in one more before the holidays.

[Hey B.B., you’ll be just as excited by this Surprise Package. Ho, ho, ho. – Kevin]

R.R. in Las Vegas, Nevada, writes (in part): We have been playing Rifts® since 1992 and have introduced dozens of players in four states to the awesomeness of your game... Thank you, happy holidays, and our appreciation for a quarter century of gaming with your products.

[I’m glad you have enjoyed our games all these years and are still loving them. Wait till you see what’s coming over the next 3 years. Bwaaahh ha ha. Um, I mean, thanks for spreading the word about our games and game on. Sorry, my maniacal fan boy side slips out from time to time. – Kevin]

M.M. in San Diego, California, writes: Have a happy holiday! You make this Christmas so good! Thank you.